Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-06-16
rns NEW DBAxDYwrxr BRIDaR.
Lts Heavy IRON and Massive Secuo
w0Ek-The Long Wfng-wnlls De-

Lts Heavy IRON and Massive Secuo
work-The Long wing-walls De-
scribeds
Assistant Engineer Robert Hanna, who
has charge under Mr.. Lalrobe of the now
Brandywine bridge, says he cnnrnt OK.
actly state when 1t viii be declared
open 10 the public. Apparently, how
ever, there Is little else to be done than
| to give the hnishing touches TO the floor
! ing and the sidewalks this with tho
grading of the approaches at either end
Of the bridge will probably finish the job.
The weight OF the structure is $50 tons,
$50 lbs exactly. It is wholly constructed
of iron with the exception of the floor
ioists and flooring which are necessarily
Of wood, az are also the string pieces run
ming longitudinally with the bridge for
the purposes Of the City Passenger Rail-
way. The bridge is cssculated to bear all
the weight placed upon it TO the extent
even of railway train If necessary. 1t
is considered a very heavy bridge, the
weight of some of the iron foor-beams
being $500 lba--all of them running
from 300 TO 5000
The depth of the truss from the peak
of the arch to the flooring, that is to say
the hight that will pass under is % feet
The clear width, that is the roadway for
teams, mot including the sidewalks is %
feet. Each sidewalksis about seven feet
wide in the clear. Over all, across the
bridge, or as the engineer says from "out
TO out" including all posts and pillars,
the width is AZ feet. The approximate
depth from flooring to water line OF high
tide is about IS feet. The span of the
hridoe lie 168 feet in the clear
The bridge is what is termed through
bridge. II is considered of the best and
strongest pattern for the requirements of
the locality. On the south side there are
two wing walls, the western abutment or
wing wall stretching 1856 feet in length.
with feet width and an average depth
of 81 feet. The eastern abutment of she
south side is So feet in length, 4 feet wide
and an average depth of feet.
This latter abutment has supporting
wall 65 feet long, 80 feet wide and with
an average depth Of feet. This is added
for the purpose of giving support to this
approaches Of the bridge.
On the north side there are two wing
walls, the eastern having the measure
ments of 81 feet length, 4 feet in width
and feet of depth. The western wall is
| 81 feet long, feet wide by 6 feet in
| depth. All the wing-walls are of solid
masonry built upon the old abutments
which were torn down, on the south
abutments feet inches and upon the
north abutments feet inches. The
stone masonry in view is all solid out
work of Port Deposit granite, some Of the
stones weighing over 5000 pounds These
larger stones of course took position in
the lower courses.
| Charles H. Latrobe, the well-known
Baltimore engineer, who makes specially
| of bridge building and who has con-
| structed some Of the finest highway
bridges in the country including the st.
Paul street, Biddle, Calvert street and
| Charles street bridges in Baltimore, is the
engineer. Robert Hanna, assistant engI-
neer, is MIR. Latrobe's representative and
has had charge of the work since its COM
mencement. The New Jersey Steel and
Iron Company of Trenton N j., repre-
sented by John Lamors made and erected
the iron structure. Alvan Morrison of
this city is contractor. MessrB Manley i
Cooper of Philadelphia, furnished the
footway railing. 1t is contemplated to
furnish the bridge with six gas lamps,
three on either side.
The general view of the new bridge
gives the impression of great spacious
ness, strength and solidity. Its admirers
assert that it is the finest bridge in Della
ware. Arrangements have been made
for carrying gas mains underneath the
floor joists of the sidewalk. The water
mains will be suspended beneath and
clear of the bridge by the iron floor
beams.
The approach on the south side to the
line of intersection of Market and King
streets with the roadway in front of thu
city mill, and the approach to the nortf
side will be graded TO the level Of the p.
w. & b. railroad track.
The bridge was opened for travel yes
1 kardou